Essay Sample on The Care and Education of Orphan Children with Disabilities

Introduction

In the past two decades, China has made a phenomenon reform with a policy that has improved economic growth and even controlled the population density by enforcing a one-child per family policy. Having said that, China faces a serious threat in its family planning policy. A study conducted by a Family Catholic Church in Northern China shows that the number of infants that are being left in the streets is 45% (Hu & Szente, 2009). Moreover, these infants exhibit disabilities such as genetic heart diseases, cleft palate, Down syndrome, blindness, and cerebral palsy. It is obvious that such children have no parents or caregivers to care for them. Therefore, they lack appropriate education, rehabilitation services, and a stable living environment (Hu & Szente, 2009). Indeed there is a dire need for the Chinese government to intervene in the care and education of orphan children with disabilities. This paper discusses how China cares for and educates orphan children with disorders.

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Background

Generally, china is not recognized for its flourishing economic development, but also its large population. As a matter of fact, the National Bureau of Statistics reveals that the population of China is over 1.3 billion (Hu & Szente, 2009). Consequently, the national revenue was 5.13 trillion Yuan which is approximately an increase of 32% from the previous year (Hu & Szente, 2009). The anticipation of such a nation is that child abandonment should flatten since the revenue is increasing. In contrast with the Tomorrow Plan report that indicates the number of orphan children with disabilities has increased (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). Again the statistics show that in every welfare institution, the orphan with disabilities is approximately 100% (Fisher, & Shang, 2014).

Ideally, China has a high rate of infants that are born with disorders. The research indicated that over one million children with disabilities are born every year. Of the 200,000 to 300000 are born with disorder instant (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). The remainder becomes disabled in months or years. Subsequently, more than 573000 are orphan children, and most of them if not all life with disorders (Hu & Szente, 2009). However, this figure is gradually narrowing with time. This is expected since medical services during prenatal and postnatal care are improving day by day. Abandoning infants with disorders may also contribute to the reduction of the figure. The study reveals that about tens of thousands of babies with disabilities are abandoned every year. Additionally, some of the infants die due to a lack of care and protection. The essay will, therefore, address the care and education systems of orphan babies, child abandonment. Also, the essay will address the repercussion of inadequate care and education, abandonment, and finally the progress made by the Chinese government in shaping the well-being of orphan children with disabilities.

Child Abandonment

The forsaken of orphan babies with disorders is triggered by factors such as economic, environmental, educational, social, and cultural. For instance, according to Chinese culture, the male is given the mandate to carry the family name. This means that females are not prioritized in preserving the line of the family. Thereby, female infants are being abandoned as the child-per-family policy allows one child to be born which means a child must be a male (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). By doing so, infant girls are left in the street and the couple tries to get pregnant again for a boy. Consequently, males are given the responsibility of taking care of their parents when become older and they cannot take care of themselves. A family with a disabled child cannot reply to that child when they become old and thus they abandon the child.

Despite any condition, every child has a right to life and it is obvious most of the infants that are born from the community that is aware of the right to life. Nevertheless, in China, it is not the case. A child born with illness, his/her life is usually in a dilemma since parents or the family may decide whether to support the life of such a child. Moreover, a child may be born and ended up having health problems and he/she may be saved through medical treatment. However, a child will have subsequent disorders. In such a scenario, parents or family members may decide whether the infants to be given the treatment to be denied (Crowley, 2016). Again, the caregivers may abandon a child to the state, since they cannot afford the medical cost and therefore the government to the responsible of the infant.

Care and Education Systems of Orphan Babies

The main role of the central government of China is social control. This means that the government is responsible for providing education and taking care of orphan children with disabilities. As a matter of fact, the protection of the poorest orphans has been provided by the government. The control of social welfare services was impacted by the reform of the economy (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). The new for orphan care, sharing responsibilities, and burden caring of for disabled children were also impacted by the economic reforms.

China's welfare services mainly target children with disabilities, the homeless, the dependent, and orphans at large. Three periods of care and child protection laws have been developed since 1949. The first integration was experienced from 1949 to 1978 and at this period. The welfare service was organized by the government (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). This was planned at various levels and in the form of institutionalization. The Communist government established education and care institutions for orphans based on previous institutions that were constructed by the regional Guomindang government. In 1949-1954, about 666 welfare institutions were established and ready to accommodate 29,960 orphans (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). In 1960, the population of orphans and abandoned children with disorders increased and led to a rise in care institutions. This was impacted by food shortage and disasters experienced in China. By 1962, 772 care homes with a capacity of 65182 orphans were ready established (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). Nonetheless, the Cultural Revolution led to a huge number of care homes to be closed. Only 49 home cares with 65182 were available by the end of the year of 1978 (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). The consequence of this was the majority of orphans and abandoned children were left into streets.

The second period was the reform of child welfare care and it was from 1979 to 1990. 15 new home cares with 2500 orphans were added. At this stage, there was a transition of welfare and the introduction of education (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). Additionally, there were multiple additions of funding sources for child welfare homes. Such funding sources are individual and foreign foundation donors.

The third period which is still present started in 1990. This stage is a complete reform of a child welfare system. The study shows that in 2004 welfare homes doubled the care homes that were there in 1990 (Fisher, & Shang, 2014). However, the increase in the development of social child welfare institutions has led to challenges in the separation of abandoned children from the mainstream of education. Also, children’s socialization and development of social skills have been interrupted. Furthermore, the reform of the child welfare system has led to decrease attention to the mental and psychological development of the orphans.

Consequences of abandonment and inadequate care and education

In 1995, British television aired a shocking documentary of China abandoning the children and most of them were girls. The abandonment of children was mainly impacted by the one-child-per family policy. Despite the Chinese government reforming the child welfare system, children with disabilities face serious neglect, threats, and even threats. Eight out of ten child care homes are reported to use sedatives in restraining children deemed so that they can sleep for long hours. Also, children with disorders are neglected from accessing care and rehabilitation, healthcare attention from caregivers and education, playing a recreation, and adequate nutrition. For illustration, 2-5 children die in every as result of inadequate care (Gordon, R. S. (2016)

The impact of neglect, inadequate care, and violence can be another serious problem such as depression, low self-esteem, and mental health problem which could turn a child to commit suicide. In some of the care homes, a child is found to have another disorder since he/she is not taken care of. For instance, if a child restrains from movement, rehabilitation, and stimulation services he/she can become atrophied.

Progress Made by the Chinese Government in Shaping the Well-being of Orphan Children with Disabilities

The need and attention of special education in China started in the 19th century after human rights empathize with it. Moreover, the government of china strengthens public policies in firming the dire needs of special education for children with disabilities. Special education was provided via the aspect of religion, culture, and history. Confucian philosophy was the main influencers of special education in China. The progress of the Chinese government in the provision of special education was before and after the Cultural Revolution. As a matter of fact in 1976, 269 special schools with a capacity of 28519 students (Needleman, 2018). The schools were categorized as hearing and visual impairments. Later, the training for special education teachers was introduced. This made children with disabilities to attend class regularly. In the 1990s, the Chinese special education expanded in that it served a variety of disabilities. In the year of 2008, the Chinese government passed the law on the protection of persons with disabilities to provide general and constitutional protection (Needleman, 2018). Subsequently, the state adopted an international human rights treaty which included the access of education to these persons with disabilities. On top of that, the Rights of Education of Persons with Disabilities was amended so that that it can protect the right of students with nine-year compulsory education.

Recently, the Chinese government has expanded its rehabilitation as well as care home facilities for children with disabilities. This has reduced the abandonment of children from the streets. The state has also provided programs that educating and encouraging parents and family members not to abandon their children regardless of their disabilities. Lastly, the government seeks the alternatives that will be used to cater to the medical bills of those infants with disabilities.

Challenges Faced by the Chinese Government in Service Delivery to the Disabled Children

Though the Chinese government is making amicable progress, there are challenges the government is facing especially during the provision of care services, policy-making, and implementation. For instance, China has passed the Children's Rights Convention and yet policy regarding the implementation of the Children Rights Convention and operational regulations are still lacking in the Chinese context (Browne et al., 2012). Consequently, the first policy on an orphan child with disabilities care was passed by in the year of 2006. While economic reform was subjected in 1990. This shows that the government is not much in the Rights of disabled children.